The Good Health Cafe

In this episode our guest is Marie-Josée Bourassa. Marie-Josée is an accomplished nurse clinician and founder and manager of the Méno-Joie Clinic, She came to the cafe to discuss menopause and how to find joy in this natural transition . Grab your warm drink and tune in for a great conversation!

Key Takeaways:

• Holistic Support is Key: Menopause isn't an illness—it's a natural transition. Optimal well-being comes from a blend of education, healthy habits (like nutrition and physical activity), and mental health support.
• Menopause and Perimenopause Explained: Menopause is officially marked by one year without a menstrual period, usually occurring between ages 45 and 55. 
• Varied Symptoms and Experiences: While hot flashes are well-known, symptoms can also include sleep disturbances, mood changes, heavy or irregular periods, joint pain, loss of libido. Every woman’s experience is unique.
• Importance of Education and Self-Advocacy: There's still a lack of research and public knowledge about menopause. Women are encouraged to educate themselves, track their symptoms, and advocate for proper care when visiting healthcare providers.
• Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): HRT is a safe and effective treatment for many women, and current research supports its use for longer periods than previously thought, particularly for managing severe symptoms and preventing osteoporosis.
• Empowerment and Support: Menopause can be a time of growth, empowerment, and community. Women supporting each other, breaking the taboo, and openly sharing experiences can make this life stage more positive and less isolating.

As usual if you would like to learn more about the good health cafe check out website: www.thegoodhealthcafe.com, follow us on social media or sign up for our mailing list. Until next time, see you in the cafe later, bye

Bio

Marie-Josée Bourassa, founder and manager of the Méno-Joie Clinic, is an accomplished nurse clinician and a leader in the Quebec healthcare services. Her expertise in women’s health and her decades of managerial experience in healthcare organizations have prepared her to lead in offering services to mature women. Her credibility as a leader and managerial abilities are well-established across the metropolitan of Montreal. She has directly worked with women healthcare providers for the last 25 years and has led many projects affecting patient access and optimization of healthcare services. Marie-Josée works closely with the McGill gynecology medical community and nursing associations. She is also the 2021 recipient of the Healthcare

Leadership Award, the Jeanne Mance Award of the Regional Order of Nurses (ORIIML).

Marie-Josée has gained knowledge through her education through the International Masters of Health Leadership at McGill. She aims to help the women suffering through the transitions of their menopause and, therefore, build a safe environment that prones compassionate medicine. She hears women and embraces them through Méno-Joie.

Website: www.menojoie.com

Host- Nikita Boston-Fisher

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In this episode our guest is  Sasha Panday. Sasha is a mom to a young daughter and a stroke survivor. She came to the cafe to discuss her experience of having a stroke as a young woman in her 30s. Grab your warm drink and tune in for a great conversation!

Key Takeaways:

• Strokes can happen at any age — know your risks and the warning signs.
• The road to recovery is long but possible, particularly with support, determination, and community.
• If you or someone you love is recovering from a stroke or another major health event, you are not alone. Seek out support groups and resources (Sasha found solace in groups like March of Dimes).
• Don’t take your health for granted. Early intervention for things like high blood pressure can be lifesaving.
• Never underestimate the power of hope and the people around you.

As usual if you would like to learn more about the good health cafe check out website: www.thegoodhealthcafe.com, follow us on social media or sign up for our mailing list. 

Sasha's Bio

Sasha Panday is a stroke Survivor and mom. Prior to her stroke she  was a digital strategist for Google. Post stroke she is focusing on recovering and strengthening her brain and body. She’s learning every day about hemorrhagic stroke and the effects it has on the body.

The Good Health Cafe

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Host: Nikita Boston-Fisher

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In this episode our guest is Nadia Mbonde. Nadia is a MotherScholar, Multimedia Artist, Mental Health Doula, a doctoral student . She came to the cafe to discuss the importance of mental health discussions in reproductive healthcare, and the broader societal impacts of racial and gender bias. Grab your warm drink and tune in for a great conversation!

Some key takeaways:

• Mental health and reproduction should be viewed together, not separately, to help reduce maternal mortality
• There's often poor coordination between mental health providers and reproductive healthcare
• Quality mental health care is heavily segregated, with stark differences between private and public facilities
• Being informed helps in advocating for oneself in healthcare settings
• Having support (like doulas) can improve healthcare experiences
• It's important to fact-check and seek multiple opinions when receiving medical advice
• There's misinformation about mental health medication during pregnancy and breastfeeding
• Check out Nadia’s work!

About Nadia

Nadia is a MotherScholar, Multimedia Artist, Mental Health Doula, a doctoral student in Sociocultural Anthropology at New York University and a multi-media artist pursuing a certificate in Culture & Media, a nationally-respected program in media documentation. Her research and creative work is situated at the intersection of medical anthropology, disability studies, Mad studies, and Black feminist theory. As a National Science Foundation Research Fellow and a Birth Equity Scholar, her research addresses how perinatal mental health disparities contribute to the ongoing Black maternal mortality and morbidity crisis in the United States.

Nadia’s website: https://nadianmbonde.com/

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In this episode our guest is A’magine. A’magine is an author, educator, speaker and filmmaker. She came to the cafe to discuss her documentary called At Your Cervix. A new film exposing the little-known unethical practice of conducting non-consensual pelvic exams on unconscious patients. Grab your warm drink and tune in for a great conversation!

Some key takeaways:

• Consent is non-negotiable: Patients have the right to set clear boundaries and be fully informed about all medical procedures involving their bodies.
• Advocacy matters: Being proactive, asking questions, and educating oneself before medical appointments can help protect against unethical practices.
•  Support is crucial: We must work together to enact legislation, address systemic issues, and provide resources to empower patients and hold institutions accountable.
• The lack of consent is a critical issue that affects patients and medical students alike. 
• Gynecological teaching associates (GTAs) are an excellent way for medical students to learn how to do pelvic exams with feedback.
• Watch the film, At Your Cervix!

About A’magine

A’magine earned her Master’s degree in Human Sexuality Education at New York University and has been teaching and speaking about feminism and sexuality for over two decades. She is author of Woman on Fire: Nine Elements to Wake up Your Erotic Energy, Personal Power and Sexual Intelligence and co-author of the best-selling classic Lesbian Sex Secrets for Men, both published by Penguin Random House, (under her former name Amy Jo Goddard). 

A’magine was named one of Go Magazine’s “100 Women We Love” and Kinkly’s “100 Sex Blogging Superheroes.” She works with women and couples on their sexual and relationship lives and she is a corporate and media consultant. A’magine’s award winning documentary film, At Your Cervix, aims to improve pelvic exams for all patients and to end unethical medical practices that harm women and transgender people. A’magine is a legislative advocate for state laws banning the use of anesthetized patients without consent. Check out her popular TEDx talk, presented in Napa, California, “Owning Your Sexual Power”.

A coastal transplant to New Mexico, she currently thrives in the desert of the southwest, residing with her wild feline friends, who, she claims are evolved teachers about self-care and healthy boundaries.

https://amaginenation.com/

https://www.atyourcervixmovie.com/

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In this episode our guest is Ms. Eliane Dionne. Eliane is a practicing pediatric occupational therapist who works in the province of Quebec while concurrently completing her doctoral studies. She came to the cafe to discuss what occupational therapy is, how to choose the right occupational therapist, myths surrounding the profession and the impact her PhD research can have on practice. Grab your warm drink and tune in for a great conversation!

Some key takeaways:

• Eliane explains the scope of occupational therapy, focusing on aiding children with motor coordination disorders, addressing misconceptions about the field, and the need for systemic changes to support children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD).
• Occupational therapists are rehabilitation professionals who help people that are having trouble with activities of daily living
• The conversation emphasizes the practical, real-life approach of occupational therapy and identifies the potential for OTs to help children make friends and improve social connections.
• It is a good idea to interview the OT to see if they are a good fit for your needs
• Referrals to OTs often come from teachers or doctors
• She outlines her dual career path as a clinician and a researcher, working with children with motor coordination disorders and exploring the academic implications of these conditions.

About Eliane Dionne

Eliane is a private self-employed Occupational Therapist working in the Gatineau and Montreal regions. She has been working with a pediatric clientele with various physical and mental health issues, primarily ADHD, learning disabilities, developmental coordination disorder and other neurodevelopmental disorders. She is concurrently completing her doctoral studies at McGill University, where she studies the learning implications of motor disorders during childhood, particularly towards mathematics, to better support Occupational Therapists that are providing services to this clientele.

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In this episode our guest is Mr. Alexandre Chadi. Alexandre is a community pharmacist, a clinical instructor and diabetes specialist. He came to the cafe to share the many ways that pharmacists can help us, how to manage our medications, what to do if we want to stop a medication and so much more!. Grab your warm drink and tune in for a great conversation!

Some key takeaways:

• A pharmacist does so much more than simply dispense medication
• When in doubt ask
• Keep a list of your medications
• You can make a plan to stop your medication safely
• Build a relationship with your pharmacist

About Alexandre Chadi

Alexandre Chadi is a community pharmacist, a clinical instructor at Montreal University and diabetes specialist. Through his work, he is passionate about helping his patients managing their medication through a humane approach. Alexandre recently completed a master’s degree in pharmaceutical sciences and wrote a thesis on the vaccination of vulnerable populations in community pharmacies. He also participates in many interdisciplinary committees such as the Local Pharmacists Table of the Central-Western CIUSSS, the Montreal Regional Committee for Pharmaceutical Care and the professional committee of Diabetes Quebec. 

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In this episode our guest is Ms. Liza Selvarajah. Liza is a speech therapist who works with neurodiverse children and their families. She came to the cafe to share the importance of understanding and embracing different communication methods for non-speaking children, the benefits of neurodiverse affirming therapy and tips for working with a speech therapist. Grab your warm drink and tune in for a great conversation!

Some key takeaways:

• A speech therapist cannot force a child to speak but they can help you understand how to improve communication with your child
• Observation is important
• Teaching children how to interact with differently abled peers is important
• Share stories about your day with your children
• Professional reports do not need to be hurtful to be effective

About Liza Selvarajah

Liza Selvarajah is a Speech and Language Pathologist but she prefers “speech therapist” without the pathologizing aspect. She is a wife and mother and enjoys therapy (in both directions) offering and receiving, as well as music (singing, playing piano, performing). She owns a company called Montreal Speech therapy, co-hosts a podcast called “The Bold SLP”, and just finished offering a course with the Bold SLP called “Strategies to prevent harm in bilingual and multicultural evaluations”. She is fluent in English, French and American Sign Language. 

The Bold SLP - theboldslpcollective

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In this episode our guest is Ms. Eva Villalba. Eva is the Executive Director of the Quebec Cancer Coalition and a value based healthcare expert. She came to the cafe to discuss value based healthcare, precision medicine and various levels of patient advocacy. Grab your warm drink and tune in for a great conversation!

Some key takeaways:

• Eva believes that value based healthcare is not just the future, it's the next step in the evolution of healthcare transformation
• Precision medicine is transforming the way we approach healthcare. By targeting specific mutations, we can provide more effective and personalized treatments for patients.
• Patient partnership is key. Level one is being a partner in your own care, level two is giving back to the community, and level three is becoming a patient advocate to impact public policy
• There are patient advocacy groups and government phone lines available to help you find the right healthcare professionals and resources

About Eva Villalba

Eva Villalba is the Executive Director of the Quebec Cancer Coalition, a non-profit patient advocacy group dedicated to improving the Quebec health-care system for people affected by cancer. Since 2008, she has been involved in health-care charities, advocacy groups and non-profits. She graduated from McGill University with a double major in Psychology and Applied Linguistics, then completed an MBA from HEC Montréal with the objective to apply best business practices to the non-profit sector. Eva is passionate about good governance, public policy, community impact, health-care reform and social innovation. She is a volunteer board member of the Artificial Intelligence Impact Alliance (AIIA) and sees great potential in applying AI and technological innovations to the health-care sector to prevent and improve health outcomes. Eva is the first Quebecker and Canadian to obtain a graduate degree in Value-Based Health Care (VBHC) with an MSc. in Health Care Transformation at the University of Texas at Austin with Professor Elizabeth Teisberg and other VBHC experts. Eva is a fierce patient advocate and believes strongly in the potential of the Quebec health-care system to be a world-class leader in Value-Based Care. Eva has an extensive international network of Value-Based Health Transformation Leaders, has a VBHC Green Belt Certification from VBHC Center Europe and is their official Canadian Ambassador. She is also the co-chair of the Resilient Healthcare Coalition (RHC), a diverse group of health system leaders across the public, private, and non-profit sectors committed to helping Canadian health care systems enhance patient care and improve health outcomes by becoming faster, nimbler, and better able to adapt to future shocks.

https://coalitioncancer.com/

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In this episode our guest is Dr. Amanda Adkins. Dr. Amanda is a board certified internal medicine and lifestyle medicine physician. She is also a board certified health and wellness coach. Dr. Amanda came to the cafe to discuss chronic disease, nutrition and some of her health navigation recommendations. Grab your warm drink and tune in for a great conversation!

Some key takeaways:

• Reversing an illness is easier if it is caught early and lifestyle changes are made.
• The standard American diet doesn't provide all necessary nutrients and changing one's diet can prevent, stall, or even reverse some chronic illnesses.nutrition can help reverse chronic low grade inflammation.
• Consider asking what else you can do besides more medication
• It is important to keep track of your health information
• To make the most out of a doctor's appointment, it's important to be prepared with questions and have someone with you if needed
• An advocating family member can possibly save your life

About Dr. Amanda Adkins

Dr. Amanda Adkins, MD is a double board-certified Internal Medicine, Lifestyle Medicine Physician, health coach/owner of Enlightenment Health and Wealth. She has a deep passion for ensuring that everyone has a chance at a healthy and happy life. Her most recent focus has been to help women who are overweight prevent and possibly reverse chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. Both through her medical and personal experience she knows how our lifestyle can lead to remarkable changes in our health and our ability to fulfill God's will for our lives. Board Certified Internal Medicine Physician since 2009 Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies through eCornell since January 2022 Board Certified Lifestyle Medicine 2022. She enjoys sharing her wellness journey over the past few decades and how her spirituality and faith play a huge role in the work that she is doing to help others live a healthy and abundant life. She can also discuss chronic disease and how nutrition impacts our health.

Facebook www.facebook.com/DrAmandaAdkins

Instagram www.instagram.com/DrAmandaAdkins

Website www.dramandamd.com 

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In this episode our cafe guest is Tiffany Vassell. Tiffany is a labor and delivery nurse, author, and founder of Nurses for Black Maternal Health and Equity based in Boston, Massachusetts She came to the cafe to share her childbirth experience, how it motivated her to become a nurse and maternal health advocate and her recommendations for how expecting families can prepare for a hospital birth. Grab your warm drink and tune in for a great conversation!

Some key takeaways:

• The importance of extended postpartum care and support, including the need for comprehensive insurance coverage and workplace leave policies. 
• the importance of education, advocacy, and communication in addressing disparities in maternal health. 
• Communication is key. Birthing people have a right to bodily autonomy and choices about themselves and their babies
• Black maternal mortality rate is high due to systemic racism, discrimination, social and economic factors, and poor communication with the birthing team.
• It is crucial to have a healthcare proxy on file in case the mother cannot speak for herself during delivery.
• Patients can and should ask questions like who the people in the room are and whether they can decline some of them, or requesting a female provider if they are uncomfortable with a male one.
• A relaxing and calming atmosphere during labor can help ease stress and reduce pain. Strategies like aromatherapy, dimming lights, and calming music can help.

About Tiffany Vassell, RN

Tiffany Vassell is a registered nurse who has worked as a labor and delivery nurse for several years. She has also served as a substance use nurse assisting patients with their recovery. She is a Black maternal health advocate who supports midwifery care, equity, justice, autonomy, and access to home births and birth centers.

She is a board member of the Bay State Birth Coalition and advocates for An Act promoting access to midwifery care and out-of-hospital birth options and establishing the Neighborhood Birth Center in Boston. She is the founder of Nurses for Black Maternal Health and Equity Organization, which seeks to diversify the perinatal workforce. She also recently served as Chair at the 5th and 6th Annual Black Maternal Health Conference at Tuft's University, the country's largest Black maternal health conference.

She is the co-author of the book 'Preparation for a Hospital Birth.' In the book, she seeks to demystify birthing in the hospital in ways only a nurse can explain. She aims to educate birthing people about the many available options during labor, delivery, and the immediate postpartum periods to create a safer and more autonomous experience.

She serves as a member of the steering committee for Mind the Gap, which advocates for the Massachusetts Moms Matter Act that would diversify the state's perinatal mental health workforce and invest in community-based organizations supporting perinatal people. She is a Harvard Catalyst Community Coalition for Equity in Research member, which gives high-quality input on research proposals and protocols. 

She has sat on several panels to discuss her work and advocacy in the maternal health space and has written several articles. She is a member of the Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Honor Society for leadership. She is the awardee of the 2022 Image of the Professional Nurse awarded by the Massachusetts Nursing Association. She is also one of the 2022 Ten Outstanding Young Leaders awarded by the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce.

The Good Health Cafe

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